Key control and spacer operating mechanism for plate embossing machines



Feb. 12, 1952 DE m co 2,585,542

KEY CONTROL AND SPACER OPERATING-MECHANISM FOR PLATE EMBOSSING MACHINES Filed 0012. 18, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. FRANK DE MINICO Fe. 12, 1952 1 13 MINICQ 2,585,542

KEY CONTROL AND SPACER OPERATING MECHANISM 7 FOR PLATE EMBOSSI NG MACHINES Filed Oct. 18, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. FRANK DE MlNlCO Y 9 A o RNEY.

Feb. 12, 1952 F DE M|N|CQ 2,585,542

KEY CONTROL AND SPACER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR PLATE EMBOSSING MACHINES Filed Oct. 18, 1950- 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGA.

INVENTOR. FRANK DE MINICO Z z/K ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 12, 1952 KEY CONTROL AND SPACER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR PLATE EMBOSSING MACHINES Frank De Minico, New York, N. Y., assignor to Pollard-Ailing Manufacturing Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 18, 1950, Serial No. 190,704

Claims. 1

This invention relates to keyboard operated plate embossing machines and particularly to improved key control and spacer operating mechanism for machines of this type known as the Reliefograph, partially disclosed in Patents 582,177, 875,679 and in my Patent 1,186,972.

Such machines comprise various associated mechanisms, including complementary character die or type carrying wheels, stop means therefor and a one-revolution clutch actuated by means connected with the stop means, operated in response to depression of any selected key to emboss the corresponding selected character on a blank plate held in a carrier mounted on the machine. The machines are especially adapted for embossing address printing plates such as used in making magazine subscription and mailing lists.

In these machines as heretofore manufactured, the key levers are retained in normal inoperative position by springs against the pressure of which they are pressed down to operative position. Immediately upon removal of finger pressure by an operator, therefore, any key that has been depressed will at once return to its raised inoperative position. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that the selected key must be manually held down in depressed position long enough to insure completion of the embossing operation. Special skill is thus required to properly operate the machine, since insufficient depression of a key or premature removal of finger pressure therefrom causes embossment of a wrong character on the plate. Further, these machines are equipped with a rotary blank plate carrier (not shown in the above referred to patents) provided with spacing mechanism which is operated by the one-revolution clutch. With the application to the machine of my improved key control mechanism which is operated through the plate carrier spacing mechanism, it was found that the operation of the latter by the one-revolution clutch was too abrupt to provide the desired smooth operation of the key control mechanism.

One object of the invention is to provide key control mechanism for plate embossing machines in which the keys are frictionally held in and guided between their respective positions; positively remaining in operative position long enough after being depressed to insure completion of the embossing operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of key control mechanism operated through theplate carrier spacing mechanism of the machine to positively return any key that has been depressed from operative to inoperative position after completion of the embossment on the plate.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of key control mechanism which manually operable independently of the embossing mechanism to operate the plate carrier spacing mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for operating the plate carrier spacing mechanism in coniunction with the embossing operation, especially in machines of the type known as the Reliefogr'aph."

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the following description and accompenving drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View taken from one side and forwardly of the plate embossing machine showing mv improved key control mechanism applied thereto, certain portions of the latter being shown in broken lines where obscured by parts of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but taken rearwardly of the machine and more clearly disclosing the improved means for operating the plate carrier spacing mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the key control and plate carrier spacer operating mechanism shown disassociated from the embossing machine and Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3 showing the key levers both in normal raised position and in depressed operative position.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, the Reliefograph plate embossing machine comprises a pair of complementary die or type carrier wheels 6, 8 mounted on shafts geared to rotate in unison, the shaft (itself not shown but indicated at 9) carrying the upper die wheel being constantly driven through a friction clutch H] by driving member l2 operatively connected with an electric motor (not shown) or any other suitable power means. The construction and operation of the machine proper is substantially as shown and described in the aforementioned Patents 582,177, 875,679 and 1,186,972, taken together and, hence, it is not believed necessary here to give more than a general description of it. The machine is operated by a standard keyboard similar to that of a conventional typewriter, the plurality of pivotally mounted key levers M being equipped with, keys 16 on which are indicated the various letters and other char acters or symbols corresponding to those of the mating dies carried by the type wheels 6, 8. The upstanding rear portions 18 of the'key levers I4, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2, are connected at their ends with a bank of stop pins 20 slidably mounted in a pair of stationary spaced-apart discs 22 secured to the frame of the machine.

Depression of a selected key lever causes the particular stop pin with which it is associated to be pushed into the path of an arm (not shown) on the upper die wheel shaft forwardly of the pair of discs 22 to stop the pair of rotating die wheels 6, 8 in correct position for embossment on a plate of the corresponding selected character.

This stop mechanism is clearly shown and described in my aforementioned Patent 1,186,972 and actuates shiftable means 9 on the upper die wheel shaft to trip a one-revolution clutch generally indicated at 24 within the driving member 2, as also disclosed in my said patent but more particularly shown and described in aforementioned Patent 875,679. When tripped, the clutch 24 makes one revolution with the constantly rotating driving member !2 and then stops, until it is again actuated during the next cycle of embossing operation initiated by depression of the same or another selected key. The one-revolution clutch 2% is provided with a double eccentric or crank-shaft indicated at 26 in Figs. 2 and 3 on which are journalled upper and lower arms 23,

30 connected, respectively, with upper and lower embossing levers 32, 34.

These levers 32, 34 are operated by the crankshaft 26 of the one-revolution clutch 24 in a wellknown manner substantially as disclosed in previously mentioned Patent 875,679 to simultaneously actuate a pair of opposed reciprocable plungers, the upper. one of wh ch is shown at 36 in Fig. 1. The plungers bring together the pair of respective mating dies to impress the selected character on a plate held between the upper and lower die-carrying wheels 8, 8 in a plate carrier generally indicated at 38 mounted on the machine. The die-carryin wheels are locked against rotation while embossing the plate by a pivotally mounted gear locking plate 40 having teeth adapted to mesh with the teeth of the gear on the shaft carrying the upper die wheel 6. The lock plate All is normally held out of meshing engagement with the gear teeth by a pin 42 carred on the upper lever 32 by means such as indi= cated at M. Upward movement of lever 32 during the embossing operation momentarily relieves the pressure of pin 42 on the gear lock 40 causing the latter to be drawn into meshing engagement with the gear teeth by springs 46, all in a manner as disclosed in my aforesaid Patent 1,186,972.

The plate carrier 38 comprises two spaced cylindrical frames as connected together by means including tie rods 18a and having depending portions 49 slidably mounted on guide rails 50 for movement longitudinally of the machine. A pair of toothed rings 52 are rotatably carried in the frames 48 and formed with spaced notches 54 or other suitable means for holding the blank plates to be embossed, which are specially made for use in the machine. The rings 52 of the plate carrier 38 are freely rotated together in either direction by manually turning the knob 68 secured to a shaft 62 on which are fixed gears 64 in mesh with the teeth 58 of the rings. To provide for spacing between the lines of the address or other data being embossed on the plate, the rings 52 are rotated clock-wise a predetermined amount at a time by a manually operated lever 56 journalled on shaft 62 which actuates a pawl (not shown) engageable with a ratchet wheel 65 fast on shaft 62. Also fast on the shaft 62 at its rear end is a detent wheel 5'? engaged by spring-pressed detent roller means 61a to positively control the intermittent rotary movement of the shaft and, consequently, also of the plate carrier rings 52 through the gears 64 in mesh with teeth 58. During the embossing operation, the plate carrier 38 is automatically advanced one space at a time in a forward direction by escapement or spacing mechanism hereinafter to be described, the letters and characters comprising the data being embossed running in a direction from front to rear on the plate. The plate carrier is provided with a magazine 66 for receiving a supply of blank plates (not shown) which fall one at a time by gravity into the notches of the pair of rings 52 as the latter are rotated, the finished embossed plates being disengaged and ejected from the carrier 38 by means indicated at 58 after passing between the die wheels 6, 5 while being embossed. Since the plate carrier itself is not a part of the present invention, the description given above is believed suflicient for an understandin of its construction and operation.

The key levers M, being pivoted at a point (not indicated) some distance rearwardly of the machine, would naturally drop to lowered operative position without the provision of means for holding them up in normal raised position. This has heretofore been conventionally done by compression springs, which made it necessary to positively hold the keys down in operative position either manually or otherwise. The present invention eliminates the use of such springs and provides a row of friction clamping devices Hi, one for each key lever, loosely carried by a rod 72 supported in blocks 73 on the machine rearwardly of the keyboard. As clearly shown in Fig. 4, the clamping devices Ill are formed with depending re silient fingers 14 frictionally engaging the lower side portions of the key levers M to releasably retain them in raised inoperative position. The resilient fingers is are of such length that the key levers M are in constant engagement with the lower portions thereof throughout their movement between raised and lowered positions, thus maintaining the clamping devices 19 in proper position on the rod 72.

Following each embossing cycle the selected key that has been depressed is returned to raised inoperative position by a rocker key lifter '16 pivoted at 18 to a bracket 79 suitably secured at each side of the machine and provided with a lifter bar 80 extending transversely beneath the plurality of key levers it. The key lifter is also provided with a rod 82 operatively connected by means of linkage 8% with a rock shaft 86 forming part of the spacing or escapement mechanism for the plate carrier 38. The plate carrier 38 is provided with a rack 88 and constantly urged during the embossing operation in a forward direction by tension spring 99 secured to the machine frame. A pawl 92 fixed to the spacer shaft 86 engages with the rack 88 of the carrier 38 whereby the latter is advanced one space at a time underthe influence of spring 90 upon actuation of the pawl 92 by the shaft 86 at the end of each embossing cycle. The spacing rock shaft 86 is actuated to operate the pawl 92 by means of a cam 9 secured to the crank-shaft 26 and en-- gaging a roller 96 carried by an arm 98 fixed to the end of the shaft 86 by means indicated at I08. It will beunderstood that operation of the arrangement, a smooth operation of the plate carrier spacer mechanism is obtained and, consequently, also of the key rocker lifter 16, since the latter is simultaneously operated through the linkage 84 and spacer shaft 86 with the carrier spacing mechanism to return any key that has been pressed down back to its raised inoperative position upon completion of an embossing cycle. The pawl 92 may be released from its engagement with rack 88 to permit free longitudinal movement of the plate carrier 38 by any. suitable mechanism under control of manually operated key I04.

The plate carrier spacing mechanism is manually operated to provide for spaces between words and the like in the same line on the plate by a bar Hi6 fixed to a spacer key lever I88 pivotally mounted on rod H0 carried by brackets 79 and extending transversely of the machine. The spacer key lever I08 is formed with a cut-away or notched end portion H2 engaging the bottom I" edge of the key lifter bar 80 and resiliently retained in normal inoperative position by a flat, spring H4 anchored to a bar H6 on the machine frame. Depression of the spacer key bar I86 rocks the key lifter about its pivot 18, thus actuating linkage 84 to operate the spacing shaft 86 and pawl 92 fixed thereto. At this time, of course, the key levers [4 are in raised inoperative position and, therefore, will not be affected by rocking of the key lifter I6, which is thus utilized to operate the carrier spacing mechanism independently of the one-revolution clutch 24, crankshaft 26 and the cam 94 secured thereto. The bar I 16, in addition to anchoring the fiat retaining spring l4, also acts as a limit stop for preventing movement of the spacer key lever I 88 beyond its normal position.

In the key control mechanism that has been provided, the key levers are frictionally held in the raised position and when depressed to operative position, will remain there during the embossing operation since there is nothing which tends to push them back up. However, at the end of the embossing operation, the key levers are positively returned from depressed position back to their raised inoperative position by the rocker key lifter l6 actuated through linkage 84 by the rock shaft 86, which in turn is operated through arm 98 and roller 96 by the cam 94 on the crank-shaft 26. The cam and roller arrangement provides smooth and even operation of the carrier spacing mechanism and, consequently, also of the key lifter '16. The carrier spacing mechanism is operated independently of the embossing mechanism, that is, the crank-shaft 26 and cam 94, by depression of the spacer key I06 which rocks the key lifter 76 to actuate, through the linkage 84, the rock shaft 86 of the spacing mechanism.

The invention may be modified in various re- 6 spects as will occur to thoseskilled in the art and the exclusive use of all such modifications as come within the scope of ,the appended claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is: r 1; In a keyboard operated plate embossing machine having a, carrier for holding blank plates to be embossed, mechanism for spacing the carrier operated in response to depression of a selected key to emboss theselected character-on a plate, key control mechanism including friction clamping devices'releasably retaining the key in raised inoperative position, and means operated in response to operation of said plate carrier spacingmechanism for positively returning the keys from operative position to inoperative position, after, completion .of the. embossment on the p at n 1 .1 1 I I g 2. In a keyboard operated-plate embossing machine having a carrier for holding blank plates to be embossed, mechanism for spacing the carrier operated in response to depressionof a selected key to emboss the selected character-on .a plate, key controlmechanism comprising friction clamping devices adaptedto retain the keys in raised inoperative position, and means operated by said plate carrier spacing mechanism for returning the key that has been depressed from operative to inoperative position after completion of the embossing operation.

3. In a keyboard operated plate embossing machine having key levers normally retained in raised inoperative position and a carrier for holding blank plates to be embossed, mechanism for spacing the carrier operated in response to depression of selected key to emboss the selected character on a plate, key control mechanism including friction clamping devices in constant engagement with the key levers throughout their movement to and from depressed operative position, and means operative by said plate carrier spacing mechanism for returning the key that has been depressed from operative to inoperative position after completion of the embossing operation.

4. In a keyboard operated plate embossing machine having a carrier for holding blank plates to be embossed, mechanism for spacing the carrier operated in response to depression of a. selected key to emboss the selected character on a plate, means adapted to retain the keys in raised inoperative position, means operated by said plate carrier spacing mechanism for retuming the key that has been depressed from operative to inoperative position after completion of the embossing operation, and a spacer key for operating the plate carrier spacing mechanism through said key returning means.

5. In a keyboard operated plate embossing machine having key levers and a carrier for holding blank plates to be embossed, mechanism for spacing the carrier operated in response to depres-- sion of a selected key to emboss the selected character on a plate, means adapted to retain the keys in raised inoperative position, a rocker key lifter pivotally mounted on said machine beneath the key levers, means operated by said plate carrier spacing mechanism for rocking the key lifter to return the key that has been depressed from operative to inoperative position after completion of the embossing operation, and a spacer key lever for rocking said key lifter whereby to operate the plate carrier spacing mechanism through the rocker key lifter.

6. The substance of claim 5 wherein a bar is secured to said machine extending beneath said 7 spacer key lever, and spring means anchored to said bar constantly urging the spacer key lever toward inoperative position, said bar acting as a stop for limiting movement of the spacer key lever toward said position.

7. In a keyboard operated machine provided with a plurality of key levers depressible into operative position, means for retaining the key levers in raised inoperative position comprising a row of friction clamping devices movably mounted on said machine in associatiaon with said key levers, said clamping devices having depending resilient fingers in constant engagement with said key levers at opposite sides thereof throughout their movement between inoperative and operative positions.

8. In a keyboard operated plate embossing machine having a carrier for holding blank plates to be embossed and provided with a rack, mechanism for spacing the carrier comprising a onerevolution clutch and a rock shaft operated in response to depression of a selected key to emboss the selected character on a plate, a pawl on the rock shaft engaging said plate carrier rack, a cam associated with said one-revolution 8 v clutch, and an arm fixed to said rock shaft engaging said cam whereby to operate said plate carrier spacing mechanism upon completion of the embossing cycle.

9. The substance of claim 8 wherein said arm fixed to the rock shaft carries a roller in engagement with said cam.

10. The substance of claim 8 wherein means is provided for retaining the keys in raised inoperative position, and means operatively connected with the rock shaft of said plate carrier spacing mechanism for returning any key that has been depressed from operative to inoperative position following completion of the embossing cycle.

FRANK DE MINICO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

